YAAAAAAY! TWO CHAPTERS ON THE SAME DAY, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE I DID THIS?
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
"It is no joke, Takamiya kun." Gin answered calmly, while rubbing Zero's head as he felt the hunter tremble like a leaf in his embrace. This might be too much. He might seriously kill me once he recovers from the shock, but it has to be done or we will get nowhere.
"Moriya-kun… I am sorry to burst your bubble, but… It is not possible for a male vampire to conceive from a human male… Even if he is an ex-human… If you are saying that Zero is pregnant… Then…" Cross explained in a soft voice, the last part was almost a whisper as he looked sadly at the back of his adoptive son.
"I think Aido-kun can explain how it is possible better than I can." All eyes landed on Aido who was giving Gin the iciest deadly glare he could muster. However, it was Ichiru that snapped, startling the audience.
"THERE IS NOTHING TO EXPLAIN! Nii-san is not pregnant, quit fooling around, Gin." The younger twin was seething, desperate to force the older male into taking back his words rather than allow his lover to divulge the secret of his brother. His eyes communicated a clear message to Gin's, "How dare you toy with his pride you bastard, and what unborn child, are you fucking kidding me!". Ichiru walked forward to snatch Zero away from Gin and get him out of the stifling room. His face contorted in extreme anger at the man who was about to reveal one of the deepest secrets his brother kept hidden because of how much pain it brought him.
However, Cross intercepted him. The fact that Zero was not reacting like he would usually do, the snappy reaction of Ichiru and the tense look of Aido told him that there was more to it than what he was aware of.
"Hanabusa-kun… Can you explain what he meant?"
Aido gritted his teeth and took a shuddering breath, the fact that Zero was not snapping back meant that the pregnancy was a fact and that the hunter seems to be struggling with it if he drank from his boyfriend in such a risky place. Looking in knowing grey eyes, he understood Gin's intention and decided to play along, although he was worried about the impact of it on the hunter.
Meanwhile, Takuma's eyes immediately flew in Kaname's direction when the news was announced, immediately suspecting the child to be Kaname's since he is the only vampire Zero would have probably slept with. However, Kaname's grim expression confused the noble even more. Is it possible?
After exhaling, Aido finally eased the tension of the anticipating crowd, "Zero is a hermaphrodite, and he has both fully functional male and female sets allowing him to bear children, regardless of the race of his partner."
Eyes bulged out even more as they looked back at a smiling Gin. Kaname could barely contain himself as not to blow him in million pieces, finally understanding the reason behind the emptied pill's container.
Ichiru pushed Cross aside, worried about how quiet Zero was and wanting to hurry and take him away when Yuki squealed and started jumping till she got near the couple.
"Oh my god! Oh my god! I am going to become an aunty, Oh my! That's wonderful Zero," everyone snapped out their stupor at her screams.
Yuki pulled Gin's hand away and tugged at Zero's shirt to make him face her, her excitement quieted down when she saw her brother pale with teary face and felt him shake,
"Zero! What's wrong, are you okay?", Gin took her hand away gently and spoke "I think he is shocked since I did not warn him before telling you, maybe worried you might get grossed out or find him weird."
Yuki looked from the taller man to Zero and back few time before smacking the hunter's arm not so gently, leading to Zero giving her a sideway glare that lost his edge with the glistening amethyst.
"No way!" She yelled, with her hands on her hips "Zero will be Zero no matter what, if nothing, I am super happy for this! Nothing can make you happier than having a child of you own!... Neh Zero look at me… nobody is going to look at you weird or anything… we are all family here right? You never looked down on me when I gave birth to my brother's child even though it is against the morals of hunter's and human's society? So why should I shun you because of your special… what is it called again… special… yes!… special physical condition…. let's have it that way…. If I had to say something, it would be about how lucky you are to have what other people wish for. Right everyone?" all people present voiced their agreement apart from a pureblood who left the room and stood listening from outside.
"How far along are you, Zerorin?" asked an overexcited Kaien when Zero finally relaxed and turned around to face him. The first action indicating his return to normal was the loud smack to Cross head when the old hunter crouched in attempt to hug his abdomen.
Still shaken a little, he allowed himself to be wrapped in the reassuring embrace of Gin who wrapped one hand around his shoulder and the other hand rubbing his lower belly lovingly, with the ulterior motive of preventing anyone from touching the bump since Zero seemed vehemently against it.
"Um… a little over four weeks" (he lied because it has been almost three months). Kaien and Yuki swooned after calculating the expected due date. Eyes sparkling at the thought of a nephew and grandchild number two.
"Does this mean that you have a vag- UGH!" Kaito's question was interrupted by a smack on his chest that chased all air from his lungs from the impact. Takuma gave him a stern glare while whispering, "A little respect, could you afford that?"
"Are you feeling alright? Kiryuu-kun" Takuma then asked with genuine concern. Special condition or not, pregnancy of a level D will always be a risky situation.
"Yeah…" Zero nodded, appreciating the intervention that saved him from shooting his insensitive fellow hunter, "apart from morning sickness and getting thirsty more often, nothing else seems to be going wrong. We already had our first appointment with a doctor and he assured us that the baby is healthy and doing well."
Yuki sighed in relief as she was about to ask the same question as Takuma, and then she started giving orders "Thank goodness! All right, now that we are all aware of this, Aido-sempai! Make sure to prepare those supplements and whatever Zero might need for a smooth sailing pregnancy. Rima-chan! Would you be a sweetheart and call the doctor who took care of me during my pregnancy, I need you to book an appointment for him to check on Zero."
The last bit alarmed both Zero and Gin and they immediately stuttered, "There is no need for another doctor, Yuki-chan!" Gin begged,
"Yeah, Yuki! I am comfortable with the one I found and he is a specialist when it comes to my particular condition." Zero tried convincing his stubborn sister who would not have it any other way.
With hands back on her hips, Yuki puffed here cheeks in annoyance before pointing a finger, "Let me guess, you are going there with an Alias, am I wrong?"
Zero clammed up and Gin quircked an eyebrow in surprise, "Is he that obvious?" Zero pinched him painfully when amusement was clear in his tone.
"Duh! Do you see Zero going to a hospital and say, 'Hey! I am that notorious hunter coming here for a pregnancy appointment because I have a special condition… bla bla bla… And don't worry, this doctor is all about confidentiality, he would not divulge anything if you absolutely do not want him to, even if it was onii-sama who threatens him, that is how I kept Ai's gender secret from everyone. *wink*, last but not least, Zero, about the blood thirst. I know from my experience that it is hell to go through. I don't know if the doctor mentioned it, but only drinking the father's blood can sate you."
Gin flinched at the new information that only made his suspicions grow when he remembered Zero's fidgety behavior ever since Kuran came into the house.
"However, the father here being human might put him in great danger. So, whenever you feel like it is taking a toll on Moriya-san, do not hesitate to drink from me. Or better yet, let us setup a weekly routine for me to give you a considerable amount that will sustain you more. Instead of smuggling blood bags or going through those annoying procedure, I am sure that my blood can help much more-"
Gin interrupted "Yuki-chan… I am happy that you want to help and thank you for all that you will do for us, but, please do not take that privilege away from me. I am okay with him occasionally drinking blood that you draw for him, but he is only allowed to bite and drink directly from me. Okay?" said Gin as he rested his chin on the junction of Zero's neck and hugged him protectively.
Zero rolled his eyes in annoyance with the cheesy man he chose as a partner in the farce that was taking a weird turn. However, as he started to relax more, he started to appreciate the idea of those around him being aware of it. He would certainly clobber the man later for not warning him beforehand, but he felt as if a heavy burden got lifted off his shoulder. Especially after seeing how excited and supporting those around him seemed to be.
Yuki blushed at the action and implication of what Gin meant, and nodded furiously making Zero laugh at her reaction. Gin let go of Zero when he was assured that the hunter is in better mood and the latter went to lean beside him on the desk.
By that time, the bubbly feeling inside Zero's chest spread warmth all over his very being. He could care less if it was due to the hormones or anything else, he just wanted this relief to last forever.
Finally meeting the eyes of those around him, Zero smiled "thank you everyone and sorry for giving you such a shock!"
The beauty of the smiling hunter enchanted everyone present as most of them never witnessed such an expression. The fluffy atmosphere got cut by the gruff voice of one Kaito Takamiya "Dude, since when did you get into bodybuilding?".
All eyes were now on the topless Gin. Seeing their reaction, Senri deadpanned in a flat voice "I think you look awesome, Moriya-san! However, I would like to ask you to put something on as the ladies seem so red they will either faint or get a nosebleed."
Right on cue, Yuki's nose started dripping as she gawked at him "I had a hunch, but you really are a hot stud" blurted the brunette before covering her mouth and looked away blushing.
Gin chuckled and took his shirt to put it on, giving the audience a show of his flexing ripped muscles. "It's not much of bodybuilding than a healthier lifestyle, Takamiya-kun. The moment I learned about the baby and the blood, I decided to stop drinking and dropped the occasional smoke, then got into intense workout regimen and more nutritional diet. I was already on the bulky side to begin with."
Kaito raised both eyebrows, fascinated by the dedication of the man "Since Zero will be drinking from me more often, the least I can do is provide the highest quality of blood I can by making it healthier and cleaner. I believe I am on the right track judging from his cute moans when he drinks it recently." Teased the strapping man while caressing the cheek of a blushing Zero who glared at him
"You know you talk too much" Zero snapped as he slapped the annoying hand away, the reaction earned a few giggles.
"Yeah you always tell me that! But I have to since you talk too little" After some more embarrassing chatter and Kaien getting a beating from zero for trying to hug him again, everyone went back to the living room living Zero, Gin, Ichiru and Hanabusa in the room.
Aido glared at the human and snarled "What is the meaning of this, Moriya?"
Zero tried to explained but Gin stopped him "There are too many listeners around, if you want an explanation I will call you and set up a meeting outside some other time. For now, I would beg you not to ruin it by saying unnecessary things here." Aido opened and closed his mouth repeatedly before shutting up and leaving the room with a huff.
Ichiru followed him after turning an anxious face to his twin "Are you sure about this?" Zero worried his lower lip, glanced at Gin before smiling and nodding at Ichiru.
Gin exhaled as he slumped on the sofa, "That was nerve wrecking…" He hid his face and closed his eyes, satisfied with his performance.
*whack*
"OUCH!" Gin rubbed his head as if it will swell three times bigger from the hit of the furious hunter standing in front of him.
"That better hurt, you reckless, irresponsible, careless, idiotic, meddlesome… I don't know what else… you stupid man!" Zero sputtered, whacking Gin some more while the other only laughed, irritating the hunter more.
Zero finally grabbed his face and planted a hard kiss that stunned Gin, stepping back toward the door, "That is my thank you." The hunter spoke and left with a smile that he could not wipe off for the rest of the night.
"Ugh! I am a goner… Big time!" Gin groaned as he threw his head on the back of the sofa, his lips curling up in a huge smirk as well. Now then, what is next?
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
A couple of hours later after the hype of the pregnancy's news quieted down, Kaien took the opportunity to bring everyone to agree on how to keep it a secret that will not spread to anyone other than those Zero wanted them to know. The old ex-hunter did not wait for his adoptive son to request such a measure to know how uncomfortable Zero would be about having the word spreading.
The hunter was grumbling when he was told to stop going on missions as soon as he hit the end of his second trimester, that is if he did not start showing before that. Kaito immediately pointed to his habit of going on solo mission that was forbidden from then on. The hazel-eyed hunter vowed to watch him like a hawk and be his partner if he ever insisted on going on a lightweight mission.
The serious atmosphere lightened up by an emotional Ichiru who had the truth finally sinking it, a bit later than the others. The younger twin was beyond relieved to see his brother being accepted for who he was after hiding and struggling with himself all these years. He had hard time realizing how easy it was, but then again, none of it would have happened if Zero did not want to keep the baby.
Aido, on the other hand, was still skeptical about the situation. In the middle of the surprising turn of events earlier, he felt a detachment from the strong shock as well, that detachment allowed him to register every single word and gesture as if it was in slow motion. Thus, the reaction of the hunter to Yuki asking him to consult her family doctor did not go unnoticed, neither Gin effort to deter the brunette from such decision. The bad feeling he had stemmed from something deeper than just that reaction, it is the wild suspicion that Zero did not take the abortion drugs. It is either he discovered that he was not pregnant afterwards, or…
The golden haired noble decided to bury his doubts until he retired to his lab and made sure with solid proofs in order not to mess up again.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Later into the night, the kids have finally fallen asleep and most of the inner circle as well as Kaito and Cross were lounging lazily with drinks and snacks, watching a random movie while glancing at the clock as the waiting game began. By the time Zero slept against the shoulder of his brother, the only people present there were: Kaito, Takuma, Yuki along with a sleeping Ai in her crib, Keiichi who was tucked by Zero's side after throwing a fit for his parents to allow him a sleepover, Gin along with his sister and niece. Cross Kaien who was wide awake and waiting for the car to pull in front of his house and bring his younger lover home, wished that time can accelerate so that he could tell him the amazing news. Knowing Yagari, the blond hunter was expecting a dumbfounded reaction and then a gruff pat on a silver head that will surely make Zero blush in embarrassment. Looking at the sleeping twins, he could not help but wish that their parents were around to witness how amazingly they had grown. If they can see you from above, I am sure that Sakura-chan would be doing a happy dance and Takashi would be itching to be here and annoy the hell out of Zero at the thought of becoming a grandparent. I wonder if they were aware of his special condition though. That would actually explain how much of a mother hen Sakura was when it came to handling Zero as a baby.
Cross snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a stare probing his back, turning around, he smiled at the grey-eyed man who was observing him as he was watching the sleeping twins.
"They are adorable, aren't they?" He whispered as Gin stood and walked closer.
"Yep… They sure are. Zero must be extremely tired after the excitement of today." Gin whispered back.
"You are a brave one, you know that?" Cross nudged.
"Hmmm?..."
"It is a miracle that you did not turn black and blue after making him come out like that. He never appreciated others forcing him into making crucial decisions." Cross explained as they made their way to the kitchen, "You must be quiet the smooth operator."
Gin chuckled as he slid his jacket and picked his phone, "Look who is talking. A little bird told me that you have quiet the underhanded method to make him agree with you even if he shows strong opposition."
Cross played his usual goofy fool card, "No way… He just feels obliged to agree with this poor old man when I end up bawling my eyes out."
Gin joked around with him before excusing himself, "I think that I will go for a walk and bring in the luggage from the car afterwards. Do you think I should leave Zero in that position?"
Cross waved a dismissing hand, "Leave them be, they will be awake in no time anyways. Toga-chan will be here any minute now. Oh! Better be careful around him because he would be the ultimate father in-law when he hears about you two. I do not advise you to act cheeky around him if you want to be on his good side long enough for him to accept you."
Gin smirked before leaving, "I will keep that in mind."
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Gin walked leisurely inside the lush forest by the lake until he reached a clearing. He stopped abruptly when he came face to face with the pureblood king. Kaname had a solemn look on his face as he looked up at the full moon illuminating the sky. With hands in the pockets of his cashmere coat, the gaze of wine orbs slowly shifted until he met the one of grey eyes, glinting with the reflection of the moonlight.
"I assume that Yagari-san reached home if you are taking a stroll around here." Gin spoke first. He lost track of how long he had been walking, but figured that he should go greet the recovering hunter soon.
"I guess so. He seemed to ask an awful lot of questions about you all the way here after Cross-san informed him about your relationship with Zero." Kaname answered with a bored tone, his lips curling up in one corner at the thought of the gruff hunter giving this man a hard time because he did not seem pleased with the man hovering around his protégé.
"That must have been a hard conversation to keep up for you…" Gin commented with a tone laced with sarcasm.
Kaname's expression did not change, "Why would it bother me when I did not even bother with the little two man show you were pulling back there."
"Someone is in denial, I see…" Gin added, internally surprised but kept a poker face because the pureblood was probably trying to shake him off.
"Should I sit back and believe that joke like everyone else? A joke that Zero actually chose to be with you in a matter of weeks? Please… We both know how unlikely that would be to happen." Kaname talked in an amused tone, "Let us not mention the stunt of the pregnancy, which is just hilarious. What is the next chapter of the play… miscarriage? that would be a dramatic way to make up for the big lie."
Gin chuckled at the indifferent tone of the pureblood, "Really… How delusional are you? Just because Zero rejected you and chose to stir away from you, you think that he will not chose anyone else. Do you see yourself as that great of a person that he would not be able to get over you that fast?" Gin was full on sarcastic, hardly keeping the mirth from his voice.
Kaname was silent, not bothering with the provocation.
Gin sighed at the thought of having to pull yet another stunt to prevent future mess with the hunter. The joke has gone too far already anyways… Might as well make it real.
"I guess that you will have to wait for the doctor's appointment to believe that he is indeed pregnant. I can provide a pregnancy test or a blood test if you want. However, once you are convinced, I want you I want you to stay away from my lover and never pester him again. Understood!" stated the human with a sharp look in his silver eyes.
Kaname sighed and smirked before replying in a sarcastic tone "lover? Really? Even when said lover did not bat an eye when he pleaded me to embrace him during the ball of my daughter, knowing that you are not that far away. I believe that you were in relationship already, judging from the way you acted around him." Emphasized the pureblood with a more victorious smirk.
Gin chuckled and looked at him with an amused face that confused the pureblood "Oh you are talking about that time few months ago, huh? Yeah, at that time I was kind of pressuring him when he was still not used to all this relationship deal and monogamy and whatnot. We were not together at that time still. Nonetheless, even if he did cheat at the beginning of our relationship, I would still not blame him, seeing the life he led before that; that, my friend, is the critical difference between us…." Gin exhaled, satisfied with the frown he put on the face of the stoic brunet, "Well, after all what was said and done, I would like to thank you for taking care of him that night. Whatever happened between you two must have pushed him to have the resolve and finally decide to become mine exclusively and promised not to seek anyone else again. I trust that even if you tried to lure him, he will refuse you right away…. What I am trying to say here is that Zero chose me and keeping my child is proof enough that he wants a family and a lifetime together with me, not you, never with you. Therefore, I hope that you keep out of our business, as you may know from your experience with your wife. A pregnant vampire is extremely sensitive to stress, and I do not want my lover to suffer unnecessarily anymore. Good night" Gin left a peeved Kaname and went back to Cross's house with a smug look of victory on his face, even if he knew that not all of what he said was true.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞Meanwhile inside the house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Zero felt a familiar hand patting his hand, making him purr in his sleep as he snuggled up to the nostalgic scent. A low chuckle rumbling in the chest he rested his head on stirred him from his sleep. It took some time for his lazy brain to process just who is the person sitting beside him on the couch was. When he realized it, his eyes snapped open on time with raising his head to meet the all familiar blue eyes that sparkled with amusement at his reaction.
"M…Master?" Zero uttered hesitantly.
"Yo… Idiot disciple!" Yagari's voice was full of mirth as he stifled a laughter at the dumb look that Zero gave him while blinking. Everyone else was awake by the time the recovered hunter entered the house, apart from Zero who refused to interrupt his precious snooze.
Like a koala, Zero jumped and hugged him as tightly as possible, almost choking him. He could feel that his sensei was still skin and bones but he looked much better than the last time he saw him.
After few tears and teasing, they finally calmed down and sat around the treats and drinks that Yuki fetched from the kitchen.
"Seriously, Nii-san… Your hormones are going haywire already, isn't it too early for that?" Ichiru teased.
"Hormones?" Yagari picked on the words and gave Zero a scrutinizing look, making the hunter freeze in his spot. Zero tried to get his lips to move, tried to make a sound and tell the one he considered as the father figure he looked up to that he was carrying a child inside him. Cross, Yuki, and Ichiru were looking from behind the one-eyed hunter with eyes full of encouragement and fist balled in anticipation. After all, it was Zero's request to be the one to tell him.
His mouth flapped few more times before he cursed a little too loudly, "Damnit! Where is Gin when I actually need his blabbermouth?"
The cheering trio let out sounds of groans and disappointment while Kaito rolled his eyes in annoyance giving them the 'I told you' look.
"Is there something I should know Zero? Beside you dating this Gin person…" Yagari grunted after hearing the name, still annoyed with the idea. He would not chase away the bad feeling he has about this until meeting and speaking to the guy in person.
"Yeah, that he got Zero pregnant soon after they started dating." Kaito deadpanned, earning a gasping sound from Zero and the others.
Everyone fell silent, waiting for the raven-haired hunter to react as he looked at Zero sitting beside him. The first thing Yagari did was patting Zero's chest, and touching his crotch lightly before retracting the hand, as the hunter gave a scandalized yelp.
"What kind of sick joke is that? He is still flat as a board and obviously having a dick down there." Yagari relaxed in his seat, resting his head on the back of it, the jetlag starting to catch up to him.
The anticlimactic reaction baffled those who were betting on a lot of different way for the one-eyed hunter to act.
"Wait… Old man! So you do not suspect that he might have gotten knocked up by a vampire?" Kaito suggested, wanting for his bet to be the winner.
"Only if hell froze over, otherwise, nope." Yagari shrugged. Zero's lips curled up in a tight smile, feeling a pang of guilt when faced with the complete trust and pride that Yagari held for him.
"But I am…" He whispered as he took the bony hand of the hunter and placed it on his bump. "I am pregnant, sensei… Do you find it gross, weird…?" Zero asked, biting his lips in an anxious wait.
Yagari's eye widened as he felt the unmistakable bumpy hardness, he quickly shifted with both hands on Zero's stomach, making Cross and Yuki whine in jealousy.
He then looked at Zero's hesitant eyes, "Since when did your female part finished developing?"
"Well…" Zero started to answer before his eyes bulged out in time with every other person present, "Wait-WHAT?"
"You knew?" Cross asked in a scandalized manner.
"How?" Ichiru followed.
"Bummer…" Kaito trailed as he figured out that Yagari was aware of Zero's gender issues.
Yagari looked at the group over his shoulder with a degrading look as he answered in a matter of fact tone, "Who do you think changed their diapers and bathed them when their parents had to leave them and go for common missions?"
Cross slammed a fist in his palm as he remembered the obvious while Ichiru face palmed himself for forgetting such a detail, "Of course!" Cross intonated "You were their self-proclaimed baby sitter since day one and Sakura would allow no one but you near Zero. How could I forget that?"
Zero gave a hilarious laugh when the tension in his body left at once, wiping the tears off his eyes as he smiled happily at the gruff hunter, "I was worried for nothing then…"
"That goes without saying…" Yagari grunted, "I did not expect you to have both though… Takashi was planning on making you have a surgery once the gender settles in."
Ichiru and Zero listened intently as Yagari told them about few funny situations involving Zero's gender as well as the crazy ways Sakura tried to dress him up as a girl at home in hope that he grew up to be female. Toga and their father would have a migraine after convincing her otherwise.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ A while later, when Gin was coming back to the house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Gin made his way back after unknowingly missing the fun of the reunion and what came after. He tugged his hands in the pockets of his pants, which reminded him that he had luggage to take care of when his fingers bumped into the car keys. He halted his footsteps when he saw a figure next to Zero's Jeep.
He thought that it was the pureblood for a second, but this person seemed taller and more built. Upon closer inspection, he recognized the one eyed hunter as Toga Yagari. Meeting so soon… Gin mused as his lips started tracing in a smirk.
"Glad to finally meet you Yagari Toga-san." Gin stood in front of the hunter with a hand reached out as a greeting. Toga looked at the hand while twirling the toothpick in between his lips. After sizing Gin up and looking into his eyes, the hunter pushed himself off the vehicle and started walking toward the school building, leaving Gin standing with an outreached hand.
After few steps, he glanced over his shoulder after spitting the toothpick, "You coming? This place is not private enough for our talk." Yagari mumbled.
Dang! Gin cursed in his head, already having an idea about how this will turn out and not liking it. He silently followed the hunter until they made their way into an empty classroom.
Gin thanked the man who held the door open for him as he made his way inside the empty room he would usually find his students waiting inside of it. The eerie atmosphere soared when he could not dodge the fast movement of the hunter that had him bent over the desk with his arm painfully wrenched behind his back.
Being close in height, Yagari easily leaned and whispered against his ear, "Who are you? Mr. Impostor."
Gin groaned as the grip on his twisted bone tightened, "Ara…" he let out a sound after panting to ease the pain, "I thought that I introduced myself not long ago…" he answered innocently, only to have a hand grip his head and slam his face against the desk.
"Moriya Gin… I thought you would be smart enough not to pull that stupid shit." Yagari was hissing by now, his blue eye darkening with murderous intent.
That is Zero's mentor for you… Gin smirked against the furniture.
Yagari put his guard up when the man relaxed despite the uncomfortable restraining posture. Taking a deep breath, Gin reacted in the blink of an eye, not allowing Toga enough time to restrain him. He grabbed the hand pinning his head with his free one, taking advantage of the momentarily distraction, he tackled the hunter with a back kick that upset the balance of the black haired man.
Yagari did not have time to even blink before finding himself slugged and thrown midair, his eye widened when he realized that it was the second time in his not so short life that someone slugged him with this sort of shoulder throw. The first time was certainly not by the Moriya Gin he 'dated' a brief period before college's graduation. He barely had the time to brace himself for the impact of his back slamming against the wall.
"Quite the way to treat a recovering patient." He huffed as he tried to rearrange himself in his position on the floor while glaring at the man towering over him.
Gin smirked as he crackled his stiff neck and eased the soreness of his arm, "For someone who managed to pin me down that easily, I would say that you are well enough to handle that sort of rough up." He crouched down in front of the hunter and stared at him while his hand rummaged with the inner pocket of his own jacket.
Toga's eyes narrowed at the leather small notebook that Gin pulled, torn and faded. The hunter kept a hand close to his waist where a dagger was sheathed out of habit.
"Relax~ Toga-chan… Nothing good will come out from harming you." Gin chirped as he flipped the pages, making a black eyebrow twitch in annoyance, "To tell you the truth, I did not expect you to catch on this fast. I am quite the doppelganger after all."
"Hmph! Please~" Yagari nipped sarcastically
"But~ I guess you would know better. Good thing I kept this on me just for today." Gin spoke as he pulled a photograph from the pages and turned for Yagari to see.
The one eyed hunter felt his blood run cold when he recognized a woman in the photograph, with a child standing by her chair. He voiced the name in a hushed voice, "Priscilla?" it was not question… It was a statement as he grew up looking at that picture for years.
"This…" Gin pointed to the picture, "is my mother, she gave birth to me, her firstborn, on the second of XX month XXXX year. Does it ring a bell? Toga~ chan." his voice was full of mirth and amusement at the way the hunter's jaw slackened.
"You can't be…" The hunter was unable to finish the unbelievable statement he was thinking of as he grabbed Gin's hand who helped him stand on his feet. Gin then went to sit on the desk, putting a finger in front of his own lips, "How about you keep this secret of mine in exchange of me keeping that dirty little secret of yours that had you seeking me out in private." Gin spoke almost childishly.
"Why going through the trouble of keeping it hidden… It is not like…" The more Toga looked at the man, the more realization hit him hard.
Gin interrupted, "Tsk! Tsk! Because I did not come here to cause unnecessary trouble." He shrugged.
"Trouble." Toga scoffed, "You… wait what the heck is your name anyways?"
"Gin."
"Stop the bullshit."
"I won't give you any other."
"How about I call you shithead, then." Yagari snapped, his patience growing thin.
"Quite immature, I have to say." Gin commented offhandedly.
Yagari groaned in frustration, "What is your purpose in barging in our life and going after my disciple?"
"Getting right to the point now, are we? What is my name again?" Gin asked as a mean of confirmation.
Yagari placed a hand on the back of a chair to lean sideway on it as he sighed, "Moriya Gin."
"Good!" Gin nodded, "Now we can get to the serious stuff, Toga-chan."
"You piss me off." The hunter pointed before twirling the chair and sitting on it to listen to what the other has to say.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The next day ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Zero woke up in the comfort of his room in Cross's house. Feeling the bed cramped, he thought that Gin slept over with him as well, so he turned to face him only to find his twin snuggling up to him. Caressing Ichiru's face, Zero managed to wake him up.
"Always the light sleeper, aren't you?" Zero sighed as his twin gave him a wide smile, "I hope my child does not take after you, I love my sleep."
"Mornin' grumpy mama bear." Ichiru chirped as he hugged his brother under the blankets,
"Call me mama or mommy again and I will cut that tongue off." Zero warned as he pinched a nose.
"Okay…" Ichiru answered with a nasal voice. He rubbed his nose when Zero let go of it, "Still… You will not believe how happy I am feeling… Was last night a dream?"
"Should I pinch you again?" Zero asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"But~ Nii-san, I can't believe it still… Not only have you settled down, you are expecting a child, I do not have to be careful about your secret being revealed and everyone are so happy for you two… I always wished for you to be at peace with yourself, but, it just happened so fast I have yet to wrap my head over it. Oh! and sensei's reaction was the best troll ever." The chatterbox went on and on, not realizing the tender look Zero gave him until the hunter pulled him in a suffocating hug, "Although you screw up more than actually do good when it comes to me, I appreciate all that you have done for me so far, Ich. I love you, bro and I am sure as hell not going to lose you ever."
Ichiru felt his eyes sting and mumbled, "Stupid! Where the hell did that come from? Who said anything about losing? You might be a pain in the butt, but it is a given that I will stick by your side like glue no matter how many times you push me away, more now than ever with a chibi Zero coming soon."
"All right! Rise and shine." Zero announced as he threw the covers off them and started pulling out his clothes, "I wonder if Gin brought them in."
"Yep, along with your sleepy pregnant butt. It was quite the delicious sight to see, by so many." Ichiru teased with wiggling eyebrows, making his brother blush at the thought, "That idiot!"
"By the way, is your pregnancy the reason you were acting weird during Yuki's housewarming?" Ichiru inquired.
Zero paused to remember before groaning, "Fuck! I forgot about that."
"What?" Ichiru startled at the frustrated sound.
"That stupid Yuki gave me the key to the unit in front of hers saying that it was mine and ran away like the freaking wind."
"Seriously?!" Ichiru exclaimed, glee obvious in his voice.
"Pipe down… There is no way I am living there or anywhere near that nest of bloodsuckers."
Ichiru pouted, "But it is just above ours, it would be so much fun having you that close." He begged.
"Denied. Eternally."
"Stubborn head."
"So be it!" Zero retorted, As if I would live there knowing that he is just a floor above mine. "Speaking of the devil."
Ichiru strained his neck to see the text message that Zero was reading. "Yuki-chan?"
"Yep…" Zero's eyes narrowed on the words, "Come as soon as you finish breakfast, in need of your magic touch."
Ichiru laughed hard to the point of doubling over, "Okay… If it was not Yuki-chan sending it, I would find that extremely and weirdly misleading."
Zero sighed, "I feel like she screwed up where she cannot ask others for help. I hope she did not blast her new place."
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ two hours later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Zero started to feel uncomfortable about acting chummy with Gin, especially with his mentor's gaze following him like a hawk. His nervousness soared when they were left alone in the kitchen with him washing the dishes again. A vein popped in his temple when he realized that they had been leaving the particular chore to him a bit too much lately, but he shrugged it off in favor of the tasty breakfast that Gin concocted, making sure to cater to his cravings to the T.
"Are you sure about Him." Yagari's question startled him and he looked at the taller hunter.
"What do you mean?" Zero inquired.
"Do you really want a family with that guy, do you know him well enough for that, you just started dat-" Yagari stopped the argument when a pouty Kaien interrupted him.
"AAAA! I told you not to say that and you still went ahead and gave the father's lecture… Zerorin… do not mind him… He is just jealous of the man taking his little boy away from him."
"Oi… quit it!" Toga tried to retort but ended up being dragged out of the kitchen. His reluctance subsided when Zero spoke again with confidence, "I will certainly be fine, Sensei. Thank you!"
Cross finally had his lover alone away from the silverette, smiling at the dazed look on Yagari's face, "What is with the sudden change of mood now?"
"Nothing." Yagari composed himself and looked away.
"I know…" Cross smiled and patted on his shoulder, "It has been ages since I saw those cute dimples when he smiles wholeheartedly, as well."
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Zero had two mind about sending Yuki a text saying "Go to hell with your emergency" but decided not to. He was helpless when it came to his clumsy sister, although he was worried more about it being something to do with Ai-chan rather than Yuki.
He felt awkward when Gin's sister opened the door for him and guided him inside with the warmest smile on her face. He felt bad for making her expect a nephew as well, when they would not be blood related in any ways.
In the bedroom, a pajama clad Yuki finished dressing the baby Ai who was giggling and letting out the cutest noise that made Zero smile without meaning to do so. Yuki greeted him as cheerfully as always.
"Zero~ you came!" She clapped her hands in front of her face.
"Had two minds about ditching you." he announced flatly as he made his way to Ai and picked her up.
"Cruel."
"And? What is the emergency that required my magic touch?" Zero reiterated sarcastically.
"Hair cut!" Yuki pulled a pair of scissor from her dresser and swung them in front of the hunter. Zero scowled at the tool.
"Why do you suddenly want to cut your hair? Why ask me when you can go to a professional now?" he added
Yuki pouted cutely, "Nuuuuh… Apart from the last time that I chopped it with a sword, you were always the one to cut it for me. I am not comfortable with others doing it… Please… Pretty pleaaaase… it is getting troublesome for me to keep it neat while taking care of Ai. You will save me big time, come on! Don't be stingy"
" I got it, I got it."
"THANK YOU! You're a lifesaver, ever since Ai-chan starting testing her grip, she has been tugging painfully at it." Yuki chirped as she sat comfortably while Zero started snipping methodically at her curly locks.
"You just like it short." Zero stated flatly, looking at their reflection when Yuki gave him a tongue out. He kept glancing to the bed to make sure that Ai is okay.
"She is a quiet baby, don't worry… She did not take after me in that aspect." Yuki complained.
Zero's hand halted at the indirect mention of the brunet, he swallowed loudly and resumed his ministrations.
"When will it convenient to set up the doctor's appointment? He does not live in town so I always schedule beforehand with him. He does have an assistant here, but the first consultation needs to be with him." Yuki rambled.
"There is really no need for that. I am comfortable with the one I found and the place is quite close to my home." Zero explained.
"Speaking of which, what are your plans Zero? Do you plan on having Gin-san go back and forth when you both have your own houses here at Cross city?"
"Yukiii, do you want me to chop your head off? Stop being nosy and trying to convince me when I said no to that offer. I have the key to return it as well." Zero grunted sternly.
"Bummer." Yuki pouted.
"I might move in with Gin when his house is done though." Zero suggested, smirking at the way her head perked.
"YAAAY! Finally we can live closer and I can pester you more often, our kids will grow up together as well." Yuki kept on daydreaming while Zero finished cutting her hair without saying another word.
Once done, he jumped to cuddle the giggling toddler who always smiled widely when around him. Gin's word about how kids appreciated him came to mind as he kissed the small hand. He looked at Yuki who was checking herself in a mirror with a silly grin on her face.
"I hope your mate won't complain since he likes it long." He commented offhandedly as he picked Ai to put her in her crib.
"Oh! that's fine, Isaya-san likes it the best when I am comfortable in my owns skin so he let…me…choose…Oh dear!" Yuki covered her mouth when Zero gave her an open-mouthed stunned look.
"Isaya..san… as in Isaya Shouto, the pureblood? What—"
"Can you forget what I just said?" Yuki begged pitifully.
"No" Zero denied with a matter of fact tone. He carefully placed Ai in her crib and turned to face Yuki who was muttering an 'I guess not' under her breath as she meekly looked at the hunter crossing his arms as his eyes narrowed on the pureblood queen.
"Care to explain?" Zero bit sternly, making Yuki flinch.
"hum… Where do I start from?" Yuki tried to derail the conversation again, unsure about how to say it without Zero blowing her head off.
"How about why you mentioned Shouto instead of Kuran when I asked about your mate." Zero suggested in exasperation.
"Because Isaya-san is my mate." Yuki answered with confidence.
"Pardon?" Zero was shocked speechless.
Yuki raised a hand to stop him from lashing out, "Before you start let me explain. It happened recently, okay?"
"That is not the issue." Zero bellowed.
"It is… Just let me talk Zero, Will you?" Yuki snapped, hating the habit of the hunter when he does not let others finish their words when he is getting frustrated.
Zero quickly rocked Ai who stirred when Yuki yelled all of a sudden. He beckoned his sister to go in another room as not to disturb her.
Sitting on opposite sofas, Yuki took a deep breath and started speaking, "I am sorry if it came as a shock. I was not sure about when I should tell you about it or anyone else for that matter. It was the most awkward situation when I had to tell onii-sama after Ai's birth, although he was suspecting it from the time he reawakened it seems." She sighed.
Zero raised an eyebrow, "He knew what exactly? I still don't understand what you are getting at. Aren't purebloods supposed to be mated for life, and you were already sharing a bond with Kuran?"
"I was. A bond is eternal because of the long life of a pureblood. That is why the saying of mated for life holds some truth. However, once a partner dies…" Yuki trailed, "The bond is broken."
Zero's eyes widened in realization, "You did not restore it?"
Yuki shook her head, "When Kaname reawakened, I was truly happy. I was careful around him in the beginning because he was a bit fragile with getting back to shape and the seal that we put on him. However, I was careless and he noticed the change of heart that happened during his slumber in the ice coffin." She clapped her hands together on her lap.
"How?" The hunter urged only for Yuki to shake her head.
"I don't know… It has always been like that. He can see right through me without effort. He did not push me into coming to term with my feelings or try to resume what we supposedly had or anything, instead, he provided me with his blood through medical transfusion. He also never asked to drink from me."
Zero remained silent.
"At first, I thought that he did not want me to bite him. He surprised me sometime later by asking if I wanted to restore the bond. That is when I learned that it was broken in the first place. It was far too young for me to feel it to begin with. Long story short, he taught me how to drink from him while controlling my emotions so that a bond does not form. It was all for the sake of Ai's growth only."
"How did Shouto-san fit in the picture? I never even suspected." Zero stated, slight fury brewing inside of him. "I always thought that you were in love with Kuran. At some point, I believed you might have had some feelings for me, and now you tell me you settled with another. Wha … how…" flailing hands before holding his head as if it was about to burst.
"I know it seems ridiculous and downright inconceivable. However, it happens that I had an unexpected change of heart. I always knew onii-san never truly loved me as a mate. While he was asleep, I kept reliving everything that happened since I awakened, and what I saw when Kaname let me inside his deepest memory. By the time he awakened, I had concluded that he cared about me out of pure obsession. He considered protecting me as a form of atonement for the previous sin when he was not able to protect the woman from his long past and having her die because of his ideal. That is how I was convinced that, no matter what I can do, I would not be able to stand on equal grounds with him as his lover. It is terrifying how easily I got over the crush I had for him and saw him as nothing more than a brother when I reached that closure." Yuki took a deep breath, "By that time, I had already given up on you and me ever getting together since you made it clear that you did not want to have anything to do with me once Kaname came back into the picture. As for why it happened to be Isaya-san, I frankly cannot answer that because I still do not know what made me so attracted to him and going as far as pursuing him shamelessly with a kid of another growing inside me. It is ridiculous if you look at it from a third party point of view, but I don't care, I am happy now zero. It might seem selfish, but I don't want anyone else and I am the happiest because he accepted me with all my faults."
"So you and Kuran?" Zero asked again as if to make sure that he heard her right.
"We are just a pair of dysfunctional siblings who happen to have a daughter they love to bits. Ai may have been the fruit of the one time he took pity on the me whom was infatuated and clung onto him desperately trying to prevent him from leaving me behind back then, but that does not deny the truth that she is the best parting gift he gave me. I guess that the realization was mutual since he does not thirst for my blood as well, so it is not like I am hurting him, thankfully." Yuki answered, a slight blush dusting her cheeks.
Zero scoffed, "You have some serious issues, the three of you."
"Look who is talking." Yuki snapped back to her usual self.
"What about me?" Zero dared her, "Do you see me chasing guys thousands of years older." he teased, hitting the nail on the head.
"Whatever… Ugh… this is so infuriating… and here I thought that you started having feelings for Kaname and being giddy about it by myself. I feel so stupid. But I am happy that you are with Moriya-san nonetheless, your happiness is what it counts." Yuki quickly corrected herself when she saw how Zero paled at her words.
"I have to go…" The hunter stood and left after exchanging few random words.
"Did I say too much?" Yuki mused as she tapped on her mouth, cringing at the mess she may have caused if her assumptions were correct.
"This is exactly why I told you that it was not a good to voice that idea. It must be shocking enough for him to know about us." Isaya Shouto appeared from a guest room where he made himself scarce after sensing the hunter coming. Yuki looked at him with a sheepish smile, "What is wrong with wanting the happiness of my two precious brothers?"
The pureblood male sighed in exasperation, "The only problem is that you are assuming a bit too much. I admit that I had the same suspicions as well but it does not give us the right to interfere."
Yuki was checking her new haircut in the mirror as she answered, "hmmm…. But they were both so painfully obvious that I was itching to send them in a locked room to sort out their feelings. Maybe I did assume too much when I thought they were seeing each other in secret out of consideration for me at first. I might have gotten ahead of myself because of random clues. UGH! I was so sure when I saw that earing and the key in Zero's house… It is embarrassing to think that I was about to confront onii-sama about something that did not exist in the first place. I think he might have sent me flying if I actually voiced my suspicions."
Isaya chuckled at that, "And you thought it would be a smart move to play the fool at first to let them bond with each other without unnecessary interference. Quite the interesting scenario."
Her shoulders slumped in disappointment, "Now that Zero is settled down, I guess there is no point in holding on silly thoughts. I hope Kaname finds his own share of happiness someday."
The male pureblood patted the head of his mate. He thought better than to let her on the condition he found her brother in when he went to discuss the issue of making their relation public that morning.
"By the way, Kaname-sama thinks that it is better for the current situation to pertain until we close the intriguing case going on. He thinks that it is better for the society to think that you two are still mates for your sake and Ai's protection. I personally agree with his idea. Any enemy would take advantage of the breakup of the royal family in order to launch some sort of rebellion from within the allies. We cannot afford that now."
Yuki exhaled, "I guess so… At least, now I can inform those close to us and not worry about being together privately. I am still surprised to see you taking the initiative of talking to onii-sama before even returning my feelings or giving me a hint that you actually considered my confession seriously. That was really mean."
The old vampire laughed at the pouty brunette, "I am not some high schooler who can jump the gun as fast as you can."
"Sorry for being a kid."
"Ah! Now I feel like a perverted old man when you say that." The pureblood pouted in return.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
While the silly couple were enjoying their budding relationship, Zero was having the crisis of his life. He walked to the elevator, his eyes unfocused as he tried to process what he was told minutes ago.
Yuki and Kaname are not together
He slept with me knowing that his relationship with Yuki ended…. No… Technically he was suspecting at that stage.
He left me agonizing about having an affair with my sister's mate without saying a fucking word… Well… he would not talk about assumptions easily since he hates being wrong the most.
Still… If he figured the whole truth by the time of the ball after Ai's birth, he should have opened his fucking mouth and say something instead of going on and on about lovin-
Amethyst eyes widened when he remembered their conversation just before Kaname snapped from his provocation.
"Zero, I won't be cheating on Yuki because-"
Zero's hand stopped mid-air before he pressed the elevator button. "Was he trying to tell me about this?" he muttered softly. His finger flew from the ground button to the top floor in the blink of an eye.
He felt his heartbeat accelerating when he found himself in front of the penthouse where Kaname moved recently. He was not sure what he was going to say and what even pushed him to go meet the last person he wanted to deal with. However, the words 'what if' kept spinning in his head. He was not sure what he was trying to accomplish, but the hand resting on his stomach told him that whatever decision he will make after speaking with the pureblood would be for the sake of his child's happiness, their child's happiness.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
What is Kaname's reaction? What will be Zero's decision?
Next chapter will probably answer those question.
One mystery solved: YUKI AND KANAME WERE NOT 'IN LOVE' OR MATED IN THE FIRST PLACE! O.O
Who is Gin? that question will have to wait a bit, however, from Yagari's reaction, he is probably not harmful, right? or is he?
Thank you for reading the chapter and I hope you enjoyed it, I feel like it was a bit choppy compared to the usual way I write but this one would turn in a story by itself if I elaborated on the emotions, details and action of everyone and everything, sorry about that.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ SHOUTOUT ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
Before I start, I have a small favor to ask of my lovely readers. For those reviewing as 'guest', can you put a name or letter or any form of identification so that it is easier for me when I answer your review in the shoutout? That would be very helpful, thank youuuu *kiss*
BUCKETS OF LOVE AND KISSES FOR THE AWESOME REVIEWERS OF CHAPTER 40:
YaoiLoverPrincess
Alublad
Aoi Bara94
aya121192
kmbanas
Senja844
miketsukami13
XtAG : Glad that you had a breather from the angst and congratz for guessing it right. Oh, by the way, I read your review of chapter 41, thank you for dropping it and I know what you mean about enjoying reading the reviews as well. XD See ya next chapter ;)
Melloomelon
choticati
Guest who started with (Honestly I thought this was going to be a good story to jump onto but now I'm glad I didn't read all of this because it's bullshit) : Nice flame, mate XD *thumbs up* I am not sure if you will be reading this since you seem to be hating the story, but I hope you found another one that is to your taste amongst the thousands in this fandom.
eikoamaya1
eboneykg
IamHaein
irmina
Guest who want Zero and Gin to be together : I had a huge smile reading your review. thank you for dropping it. Even if they are just pretending to be, there will be some funny moments as their relationship relies on friendship and 'respect' more than love and intimacy.
mi5tan : Yep! me too *silly laughter*. thank you for the review
Miyako Shirayuki Phantomhive
Guest who started with (Why is everyone hating on Gin?): I loved that your insight was on point about their relationship. As to why Gin is getting haters, well… It is quite understandable when there is someone trying to ruin the OTP couple even out of goodwill. Good thing he still has supporters XD… Oh! and don't worry, I do not intend to kill him or anything. He will have a good ending as well, just not with Zero. Thanks for the review and I am so happy that you are following the story and appreciating the effort I put in it. I am truly thankful.
GOE: You are welcome, dear! Sorry that it took more days, but I had the chapter ready and was too sleepy to notice the technical mistake I made. Now you have to chappies to enjoy while waiting for the next. As for Zero, he will certainly realize gradually that Kaname is his man, as you said. Until then, I hope you bear with Gin sticking around.
hotxhotguy
Tee: *Cringe* Sooo sorry for the discomfort darling. I totally forgot to put the warning about Gin being more involved and that Zero will start acting ooc due to his pregnancy, (I really meant to give a warning for this specific reaction). I am afraid that there will be more Gin coming but it will be balanced with enough Kaze moment until Kaze rules over once again XD
ben4kevin
LOVE YOU ALL GUYS, AND A BIG THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO READ, THOSE WHO CLICKED THE FAVORITE BUTTON AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWING THE STORY.
YOU ARE THE BEST.
∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ See ya next chapter ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞